NEW ZEALANDERS RAID GERMAN TRENCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16266, 27 June 1916, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS RAID GERMAN TRENCHES.

GALLANT DASH OVER "NO MAN'S LAND." OFFICER MORTALLY WOUNDED IN LEADING THE RAID. ENEMY IN TRENCHES BOMBED OR BAYONETED. N.Z. War Correspondent's Cabled Message. JUKE 20. A party of picked men made a successful raid on German trenches. The raid was preceded by an intense bombardment for ten minutes. The guns were then switched right and left, and lifted to form a protecting barrage, during which our men dashed across "No Man's Land" towards the enemy's trenches. Before he had covered 20yds an officer of the Otago Battalion, to whose training, leadership, and fine example the brigade owed the success of the enterprise, fell mortally wounded. The second in command fell wounded at the same spot, but the raiders nevertheless dashed on, and succeeded in reaching the German trench, where they bombed and bayoneted the few men remaining. The casualties in the ranks were one man killed and five wounded. An officer of the Wellington Battalion, although wounded in the chest and arm carried on. He did not leave the German trench till all our men were out of it. The New Zealand artillery fire was most effective. The German trenches were broken and in places levelled, and two machine-guns were destroyed. Thef* enemy's retaliation was somewhat feeble. . Such raids, while requiring great courage and dash, are quite minor affairs, and the Anzacs in the firing-line deprecate the recent laudation in London of such modest efforts.